MVLNCI Programs and Events
Registration is Open for the 2025 Summit!
Central LNCI to offer a 2025 Summit at Camp Greene!
Join us to Celebrate:
🌿 25 Years of the Clean Ohio Fund
🌿 20 Years since the publication of Last Child in the Woods and the release of Nature Needs Kids
🌿 15 Years since the Ohio Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights
It's all coming together in one beautiful venue near Yellow Springs, Ohio on September 26, 2025, and you won't want to miss it.
Registration is open now, and the first 25 people who register will receive an incredible incentive.
What will you experience?
Check out our video to learn more.
Music, networking, a panel discussion with former First Lady Frances Strickland, former First Lady Hope Taft, ODNR Director Mertz, a leader from Arc of Appalachia, special guests past Governors Strickland and Taft, and participant-led breakout sessions created for a collaborative agenda we build together.
Who will be there?
Two past Ohio Governors
Two past Ohio First Ladies
The Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
People from all over Ohio, representing:
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Health
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Nature
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Camping
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Parks
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Families
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Design
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Mental Health
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Youth
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Schools
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Higher Ed
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Other sectors that intersect with children and the outdoors
Nature-Based Program Tour
Aug 8 & 9 2025
About the event
Join with colleagues from around the region for two fun-filled
days of exploring, discussion, and professional development. This will include each program discussing: moving through the outdoors with young children, integrating curriculum with nature-based pedagogy, as well as sharing research and nature-based movement games and breaks for you to take back to your school.
You may attend one or both days.
In order to keep things simple and free, please pack your own brown bag lunch and bring a refillable drink bottle. Coffee, tea and water refills will be provided.
Participants may travel independently or carpool together.
***Bring a song to add to a collective nature song book to be entered in a raffle***
Partner Programs and Events
Our partners are working hard to provide resources and opportunities in the community to promote access to nature! See below for events from MVLNCI Partner Agencies. This section is updated seasonally, so check it out often!
Summer Camps Are Being Offered by Multiple Partners!
Multiple Partner Agencies offer Summer camps for children of various ages! Select the links below to view program offerings for Summer 2025.
Troy, OH
Half day options for K-5th Grade.
Centerville-Washington Park District
Centerville and Washington Township, OH
All day and half day options for Ages 3 - 15 years.
Dayton, OH (Union Rd.)
Two-Day camps (Mon-Tues) for ages 5 - 8 years
Four-Day (Mon-Thurs) camps for ages 7 - 12 years
Little Miami Watershed Network
Lebanon, OH
Half-day camps
July 14-17 Ages 6 - 8 years
July 21-24 Ages 9 - 12 years
Summer Reading Challenge
All Ages
May 31 - July 31, 2025
All Dayton Metro Library Locations
Youth Challenge (0-18)
Earn a free book of your choice after 15 DAYS, 30 DAYS, and 45 DAYS of activity.
You may pick up your prizes at any DML location before August 9, 2025. Prizes will be available while supplies last.
Adult Challenge (18+)
Explore DML resources and discover new materials to read using our BINGO challenge board! You can pick up a paper copy at any Branch location or register through Beanstack, to track your reading. Adult Summer Reading Challenge participants will receive a small prize after completing a BINGO and will be entered to win a Branch raffle basket. You may report your participation through August 9, 2025; raffle winners will be notified by August 13, 2025.
Grand Prize Sweepstakes
One lucky Summer Challenge participant aged birth - 18 will win a $2,529 CollegeAdvantage Savings Award! Parents or caregivers can enter the sweepstakes HERE (coming soon) by August 9, 2025! COLLEGE SAVINGS AWARDS are made possible through Ohio’s 529 College Advantage Plan.
Birding Challenge
All Ages
March 1 - November 9 , 2025
Various Locations
2025 MetroParks Birding Challenge
The Five Rivers MetroParks Birding Challenge is underway! Get Out & Bird for chances to win fun, bird-themed prizes and contribute to important citizen science projects. Over 450 species of birds can be found in Ohio, and they need our support so they can thrive.
Families can work together to complete the Birding Challenge which is designed for birders of all skill levels. Over the course of the challenge, you’ll develop birding skills, learn how to help birds and reap the many benefits of birding, including improved mental and physical health. With 30 tasks to choose from, the challenge has something everyone in the family will enjoy. Everyone who enters will receive a MetroParks Birding Challenge Sticker as well as one entry into this year’s raffle. Complete additional tasks to earn more raffle entries.
A separate version of the Birding Challenge has been specially designed with teachers and classrooms in mind. Teachers will select various tasks for their classrooms to complete, such as updating habitat around their school or assigning a project to help students learn about birds. Teachers can even design their own challenge tasks and are encouraged to use the Birding Challenge to support their curriculum. Participating classrooms will be eligible for a special classroom prize raffle, and all students will receive a sticker for participating.
The challenge ends November 9.
Project WILD, Aquatic WILD and Inquiry Adventures Workshop
18 +
Tuesday July 1, 2025
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Germantown MetroPark, Twin Valley Welcome Center
6910 Boomershine Rd. Germantown OH
Fee: $5
Registration Deadline, June 29
This workshop will certify classroom teachers in the nationally recognized Project WILD curricula, engage educators in outdoor inquiry, and demonstrate how to utilize Five Rivers MetroParks' resources to make science come alive for students. Teachers will test activities from both Project WILD books and run their own outdoor inquiry adventure, so dress for the weather. Please bring your own sack lunch. We will have a selection of snacks and beverages to share. Attention Early Childhood Educators: Please provide your OPIN number when you register if you would like to earn 6 hours of Ohio-approved credits through OCCRRA. Contact hour certificates will be given to all participants.
Professional development hours are more fun when you're in a park! Join us as we explore new curriculum guides to bring nature to your classroom and your classroom outside!
Amazing things are Happening!
